Stephen Curry’s skill as a sharpshooter is not just confined to the NBA hardwood. The hand-eye coordination he mastered from hours of shooting practice has also helped him become one of the best golfers in the league circles. Steph’s prowess on the greens was attested by none other than Justin Thomas, the #8-ranked golfer in the world.
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Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner, believes Steph, with his “freak talent,” could become one of the best amateur golfers in the world after he retires from the NBA. Well, Steph indeed is no novice on the greens. He is a scratch golfer, which means that he shoots even par or better on a course almost every time he plays.
In an appearance on the Throwbacks podcast before last weekend’s Augusta Masters, Thomas spoke about some of the amateur golfers he has played with. The golfer was picking those who have the quality to give the pros a run for their money. He mentioned Curry along with former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and former tennis star Mardy Fish. However, Thomas gave Steph the best chance.
“When Steph is done playing, and he can play more golf… I’ve played with him a couple of times, and you just know he’s got freak talent,” said Thomas.
“Crazy good hands around the green and the little subtle adjustments, man. I think if he was able to put more time into it, he’d be probably the most consistent amateur,” he added.
Justin Thomas talks about Steph pic.twitter.com/w1cEApxC74
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Steph certainly has the achievements on the golf course to warrant such huge praise from a pro golfer. The Golden State Warriors legend won the American Century Championship in July 2023, where he memorably made a hole-in-one on the 7th hole. He ran the entire length of the 152 yards in celebration.
Talking about celebration, fans did get excited about Thomas’ take on Curry’s golfing skills.
Fans back Thomas’ sentiment on Curry
When the clip of Thomas talking about Curry hit Reddit, fans weren’t surprised. They pretty much came to the same conclusions as Thomas. As one fan put it, “Being good at golf is one of the least surprising things ever.”
Another user claimed that because he doesn’t make flashy dunks or jump out of the gym in the NBA, Steph’s athleticism gets underplayed. But his hand-eye coordination allows him to be an elite athlete even at 37 years of age.
“People downplay his athleticism because he’s not necessarily physically a freak with explosiveness… but like golfers and baseball players, Steph’s hand/eye coordination and touch is just insane. It’s an area basketball players don’t necessarily have to be elite at to still be good,” wrote the Redditor.
Another fan claimed that Curry’s mental strength and fortitude have a lot to do with his elite play on the links.
“He has elite touch, there’s no denying that… also underrated skill that directly applies to golf that he has, is being incredibly tough mentally. Short memory, ultimate confidence, not rattled from play to play/shot to shot. He’s basically got the perfect mental makeup for golf, and legendary all-time great touch to go along with it,” they wrote.
With the Warriors in the Play-In tournament right now, Curry doesn’t have a lot of time for golf. Then again, Curry has famously hit the golf course during the NBA Finals no less, to get his focus and bearings back. So, he is likely to keep the golf bag handy as things heat up this post-season.
And who knows? Maybe we’ll even see Steph hang up his boots and pick up his irons for a run at the pros once he retires.
